GSU Commander Highlights the Successes of Its Operations

The Gang Suppression Unit, in recent days, has come under sustained fire from the public for its strong-arm approach to crime fighting.  Of late, there have been allegations made against the GSU concerning the use of excessive force in carrying out its job.  That seemingly unconventional tactic, however, has, to an extent, proven successful, reducing the number of guns and ammunition, as well as drugs, in Belize City.  While those numbers collectively, can be viewed as only a drop in the bucket, comparatively speaking, the work of the unit, nonetheless, is crucial in disrupting illicit trade.

Inspector Mark Flowers, Commander, Gang Suppression Unit

Mark Flowers

“The charter of this unit is to suppress the gangs and to disrupt the gang activities and to dismantle the gangs when and where it’s possible.  That is our specific charter.  To achieve these ends there are many variables and some of these variables might not be readily identifiable with what we do but what we do know that this is what the Gang Suppression Unit is about.  To date, because of the unit’s operations across this country we’ve been able to confiscate in excess of two hundred pounds of marijuana, more than one point five kilos of cocaine and more than fifteen firearms have been removed from the streets since January to now and that is only in this year. This has been one of the slower years.  There were times when the units appeared dormant in this year and has resurged and reemerged now with that full vigor.  So in terms of the success and purpose and the usefulness of this unit, I don’t know that that is not justification in itself, the amount of firearms that have been removed.  That can be translated into so many lives being saved and certainly the number one charter of the wider police, not only the GSU but the entire police department, is the protection of life, the protection and preservation of life and if we would have met those objectives, you know, in as much as we are disrupting and dismantling and disorganizing these gangs we also need to be reminded that the preservation of life is chief among our objectives.”